Wednesday, 17 June 2009

The rise and fall of beer styles

I'm taking a break from sugar, WW I and British brewing. And taking a look at German beer styles. In particular, their relative popularity over the years.

Hopefully these figures will help lay to rest the myth about European beer being traditional and unchanging. Nothing could be further from the truth. Take a look at the fortunes of Pils and Export in Germany over the last 40 years.

In the 1970's, Export's market share slumped while that of Pils skyrocketed. But after peaking with almost 69% of the market in 2002, Pils now seems to be definitely in decline, being down to just 55% last year. Export, seemingly on the road to oblivion, has rallied a little and is clinging on to around a 10% share.

Weizen has steadily increased in popularity over the last 30 years, but the picture for some other top-fermenting styles is much less rosy. Alt's progress has been a mirror image of Weizen's, declining from 6.6% to 1.4%. Kölsch has done a little better, falling from 4.5% to 1.6%.

12 comments:

While the fall in alt and koelsch is stark, the rise of mixed drinks is also striking. Pils seems to have lost out to everything, yet the overall picture doesn't look that rosy for other styles, except weizenbier. I am surprised that liechtesbier doesn't make a bigger showing as anecdotally at least, its presence is increasing.

That export beer is holding its own surprises me more than somewhat, though that may be definitional. Any ideas what constitutes "other"?

Am I correct in thinking that export is the German equivalent to Special Brew / plastic bottle cider? A breakfast beer for the ruddy faced men who have their morning hotdog at those pavement kiosks with the high tables.

I think the changes are reflective of a homogenisation and to some extent a dumbing down of the beer market. I understand the sectors growing at the moment are very lightly hopped so-called "Gold" beers and mixes of beer with all manner of odd soft drinks and fruit flavourings. The population of Köln and Düsseldorf in 2007 was pretty much the same as in 1981, so that doesn't explain a decline in the Kölsch and Alt figures. I guess people in those cities are, like everyone else, drifting away from the local brau and going for heavily marketed national brands.

John, Export isn't the equivalent of Special Brew. It's what miners and steelworkers used to drink in the 1950s, so if there's an English equivalent it would be mild. But yes, I would think (based on no evidence) that Export would be slightly more popular than average at those kiosks. Real homeless people, however, tend to drink Grafenwalder Pils from Aldi.